The Perfect Slingshot
by Goldsaddletank
Summary: Herky the Helicopter wants to learn how to do a slingshot movement. Can he perfect his skills?


Herky the yellow helicopter yawned as he settled down in his hanger to rest for the night. He was quite tired, and wanted to sleep.

Suddenly he saw Jay Jay, Tracy and Snuffy zig- zagging about the hanger. Then, to his amazement, the three performed a perfect slingshot move into their hangers! The helicopter was curious as he'd never seen anything like it, but he wanted to learn how to do it.

"It looks like fun." he whispered. "I want to do that too!"

He was so excited that he forgot his earlier tiredness and was still awake even when the others had all gone to sleep!

Oh wait, Jay Jay was still awake- but barely.

"Jay Jay!" whispered Herky excitedly, only just managing to keep his voice down.

"Yes, Herky?" The blue jet yawned.

"I want to learn how to do the slingshot move! It looks like fun!"

"Okay then. We'll teach you first thing in the morning." Jay Jay decided. "Now could please put your gum shield on and get some sleep? If you want to learn the slingshot move, you'll need plenty of it."

"Okay Jay Jay," whispered Herky "Goodnight."

"Goodnight Herky."

The little helicopter fixed his gum shield in and drifted off to sleep.

...

At sunrise the next morning, the three younger jets were beginning to teach Herky how to do the slingshot move.

Savannah and Big Jake were worried that someone would get hurt but Jay Jay and Tracy both assured them that they knew what they were doing.

"Okay Herky," Began Jay Jay "Doing the slingshot's not very easy, but the steps to doing it are, so that should be alright for you. All you have to do is get comfortable and then whilst you're flying you turn upside down. Here, I'll show you."

He performed a couple of slingshot moves perfectly which impressed Herky- now he wanted to fly like that more than ever.

"Right I'll give it a shot!" He announced.

He set off confidence high, but whilst trying to pull it off successfully he ended up being upside down.

The young jets immediately tried encouraging Herky

"Come on Herky, have another go." Tracy said.

"You can do it Herky!" Cheered Snuffy happily, hoping that his friend was encouraged.

Herky took a deep breath.

"Okay Here I go!"

...

Unfortunately, he ended up upside down again.

"Ohh it's not working!" groaned Herky "It's not fair! I can't do it!"

Herky flew off towards the hangers.

He was upset that he hadn't mastered it, and he felt fed up trying.

So he decided to simply stop.

...

Herky met up with Old Oscar in the hanger.

"Hello Herky- what's wrong?" He asked, on seeing the helicopter's downcast look.

"I wanted to a slingshot move with Jay Jay, Snuffy and Tracy but I couldn't do it." He explained sadly.

"It's because you're a helicopter Herky," Old Oscar reminded him. "They are jet planes; they'll just find it easier to do."

"Well, I don't want to be a helicopter!" Herky decided. "I want to be a jet, like Jay Jay and Tracy!"

"Herky, you don't need to be a jet to be special," Old Oscar explained kindly. "You're special just as you are- you can do things that others couldn't."

"Like what?" Asked the helicopter, curiosity now engaged.

"And to prove you don't need to be like everyone else, I have a story for you; when I was younger, I wasn't special at all, due to the fact that I was a bio-plane. I wanted to be like other planes of my day, but that was before I found out something I was good at that no one else was."

"What was that?" Herky asked inquisitively.

The answer surprised him.

"Working at the circus." Old Oscar responded.

Herky groaned.

"Don't worry, Herky. Learning new things always takes time." Old Oscar told him. "In short, practice makes perfect."

Suddenly, Brenda Blue strode in, clipboard held tightly in her hands.

"Oscar, I need you to make a delivery to Farmer Ben's farm. You have to deliver hay."

"Right, I will do that Brenda!" Old Oscar exclaimed.

As he took off to make his delivery, Old Oscar called out to Herky.

"Remember what I told you Herky! Practice makes perfect!"

Herky thought a moment. He knew what he had to do.

...

Meanwhile, Tracy Jay Jay and Snuffy were worried about their friend. They were wondering what could be done.

"I wish we could something to help Herky." Said Snuffy

We should encourage him to try again. Tracy suggested.

"But Herky seemed fed up." Replied Jay Jay. "There has to be something else we can do."

"Hi guys!" Herky called out hovering beside them.

"Hey Herky- we're sorry that our last session didn't work out." Said Jay Jay sadly.

"It's okay. I've spoken to Old Oscar and he gave me some advice. I think I'll try it again."

"Okay then, if you're sure." Jay Jay responded

Herky got into position and soon he set off. Remembering what he had been told, Herky allowed himself to slide into the movement and then-

He did a slingshot.

A perfect one, like he'd known how to do it for years.

"Yay I did it!" He cheered happily.

The other jets cheered too as Herky executed more sling shots around them, pleased that their friend had succeeded in learning something new.

And it was then that Herky learned that he was indeed special in his own way, and that you should never give up trying, no matter how hard the obstacle.


End file.
